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Pattie H. Berry, 79

Pattie Green Hodges-Berry, 79 of Ellicott City, Md., passed away from complications after a major stroke on April 9 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md. She was born on Dec. 19, 1933 in Warrenton, N.C., daughter of the late Irving Lee Green Sr. and Queenie Iona Green.

She received her early education in Warrenton, N.C. graduating from John R. Hawkins High School 1951. She attended North Carolina University in Durham, N.C. from 1951 to 1953. Moving to Baltimore, Md., she enrolled in and graduated from Coppin State University in 1962 with a Bachelor’s degree in English. She received her Advanced Professional Certificate for master’s equivalent from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in 1976.

In 1957, she was married to the late Rev. James E. Hodges Sr., a pharmacist, and of this union was one son, James E. Hodges Jr. This marriage ended in divorce. On Aug. 7, 1988, she married Walthall M. Berry, a retired educator and photographer.

Pattie was a longtime resident of the Baltimore Metropolitan Area, residing in Baltimore City, Pikesville and Ellicott City. In her early career, she worked briefly for the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Social Services, but later resigned to seek employment in the Baltimore City Public School System. From 1963 to 1990, she taught grades K through 3. She worked at Thomas G. Hayes Elementary School and during her tenure there, she received the “Teacher of the Year” award. Pattie retired from the public system in 1990. In addition to her service as an educator, she was the Women’s Editor at the Afro-American Newspaper and wrote and edited human interest articles for the “Our World” sections of the AFRO. She also served as a social columnist with the Baltimore Times, where she covered numerous African-American social affairs. While working at both the AFRO and the Baltimore Times, she received numerous writing awards.

She enjoyed reading, writing prose and poetry, playing the piano, singing in the choir, traveling, socializing and the arts. She was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; Patapsco River Chapter, Links; Baltimore Metro Chapter, Coalition of 100 Black Women (Charter Member); the Society for the Arts, Coppin Alumni Association, North Carolina Central Alumni Association, president The Friends (church group) and president, The Urbanites. Also, she was a member of Payne Memorial A.M.E. Church in Baltimore where she served as the director of the Young Peoples Choir. Later as a member at Douglass Memorial Community Church, she served as the co-chair for Women’s Day in 1994.

Other awards and recognition received include the Fullwood Foundation Award, NAACP Award, Governor’s Citation-2000, Woman of the Year Media Award (Zeta Phi Beta Sorority), American Business Women’s Award, NAFAD Awards (Fashion Designers), Citations from the Mayor, City Council President, Member of the City Council of Baltimore City, and many others.